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Saturday, March 14, 2015

What do you like about March?

At mid-March, it feels like that weather is getting warmer with each rain.

But weather is unstable and unpredictable, too:

after a warm spell, Winter frigid air from northwest and Spring warm air from southeast crashed on Japanese archipelago and tempestuous cold raged for two days followed by a few winter days.

Next week, the wider region of Japan is expecting a lot of sunshine and warmer
temperatures.

Looks like Spring is going to win..., touch wood.

How is it in your corner of the world?

Ume, or Prunus mume

I like March for its dramatic transformation, from piercing chill to mild and pleasant,

with sprouts, blooms, baby animals one after another.

Though the sky becomes hazy seasonally because of the yellow sands from the continent, the pale blue sky seen through the ceiling of early-blooming species of sakura (cherry blossom) is beautiful.In two weeks, Somei-yoshino will dominate the landscape, which means full arrival of spring.Somei-yoshino is one of the most popular and widely planted and cultivated flowering cherries.

Early bloomer, Okame-zakura, or Prunus incamp cv. Okame

In the camellia grove, spring camellia is taking over winter camellia and sazanqua camellia.

Insects are busier in the flow of yellow flowers.

At the quiet, shady pond, sprouted green of spring and bone structure of winter coexist.

You must have understood how the trees around the pond are soaring high from the reflected trees.

The
withered bushes are hydrangeas.

Isn’t it exciting to imagine how this
area would look like in early summer.

Salix ×
leucopithecia, “Furisode yanagi” or “Akame yanagi” in Japanese, are radiantly luminous
in the sunlight.

At
the pond in the full sunlight, a swan duo attract people’s attention.

Creatures of all kinds feel the tremor of the springtime return and respond in the excitable manner

and sometimes can be as mad as a March hare.

﻿

In a sense, I am a March hare, born in March in the year of Rabbit.
My late mother used to tell me,

"You were born in such a time when people at last feel liberated from the terrible winter chill
and can't hold back joy to upcoming springtime."

Lovely photos! Here in Finland March is partly spring and partly winter, for example now we have now sunny days, but in nights the temperature goes below zero and it can be very cold. We also might have some snow.

Today it is raining but the winter has been very mild in southwestern Canada so many blooms are starting here too. Each one of your March pictures is enchanting. The camellias in the grove look like little pink butterflies springing up everywhere. I like your mother’s optimistic words. What a wonderful time to be born when joyful buds burst out into the world. Wishing you a very happy year ahead! Looks like you had a delicious start with a nice treat. :)

Yoko, Happy Birthday to you! How wonderful to be born in Spring when everything comes to life around you. I love the first signs of buds on trees and shrubs and the first flowers. Your photographs are lovely - all of them. It is still very cold here in England but we have snowdrops blooming in the woods and gardens, and the Daffodils are out bringing cheer to us all. Stay warm! x

Oh, my - your birthday treat looks fabulous, Yoko. Surely there is plenty to share! We are experiencing changing weather, too, and warmer temperatures (though yesterday we had snow showers). Our spring always comes and goes again here at altitude. There will be no lovely cherry blossoms for me, so I look forward to yours. The light silhouetting the luminous Furisode yanagi is very special. I would enjoy sitting on the banks of that stream and watching the swans. I await the arrival of my grandchildren for a weekend of skiing. Happy, happy birthday Yoko and wishing you much happiness in the year ahead.

March can be so unpredictable. 3 days ago we had 10C and bright sunshine and melting snow. Today we have 1C and thick freezing fog. But there is one thing that is always predictable.... YoungerSon's birthday is the last day of March, and every year he starts reminding us on March 1! As if we could forget!Happy Birthday Yoko! ハッピーバースデートゥーユー、ヨーコ。

HAPPY BIRTHDAY and happy days after... I wish health for you and that your joy in life and nature and beauty may stay with you always.You prepared a wonderful birthday post as a present for us, thank you Yoko. :-)

Happy Birthday dear Yoko!!! My mother was also born in March and it is a really amazing month. I love all your wonderful photos. I wish I could to be a swan for a day in that beautiful lake ^_^ Thank you for sharing another fabulous post with us.Wishing you health and happiness!Hugs and love from Portugal, Ana Love Craftwww.lovecraft2012.blogspot.com

Dear Yoko, you were born at such a wonderful time - when everything comes to life, starts to blossom, fills with new energy and optimism. Just like your blog, I am honoured to be your reader. I do not know the date of your birthday, but I wish you an unsleeping Guardian Angel! You do everything yourself, but let his wings invisibly protect you. May I call you my favorite March hare from Japan?))) You know how much I love Alice! With best wishes from Russia to you and your family,IrinaPS. I enjoyed your March narration together with pictures, both are beautiful! And the word “tempestuous” impressed a lot – Shakespeare’s word! You have probably read his “The Tempest”.

Hello Yoko,The pink blossom is fabulous, and there will be much more to come! Spring is definitely on the way but taking its time.I like the happy sculpture.....we can always count on birds to give added animation.Lovely photos!

How beautiful! I didn't know this kind of the cherry tree, Okame but I like how it looks like and I'll have a look on the internet if I can get one for my garden. Until then, I'm happy to see the blossom of my Prunus Mume, even if the tree is still so little... Have a nice day!

Welcome to my Blog

Welcome to my blog, and my world! I’m a Japanese, born and raised in Kobe, a cosmopolitan port city, and now living in Nara, the cradle of Japanese culture. I'm happy to share things and places I love with you and exchange ideas and thoughts. Thank you for stopping by and taking time.

Hakuba Village, Nagano

Oide Suspension Bridge

Rainbows on earth

Lilies at Maishima Island

Winter pond reflection

Saho River, Nara

the sea of Kobe westward

Danny's Christmas tree

Outward from the Home Planet

The Earth reminded us of a Christmas tree ornament hanging in the blackness of space. As we got farther and farther away it diminished in size. Finally it shrank to the size of a marble, the most beautiful marble you can imagine. That beautiful, warm, living object looked so fragile, so delicate, that if you touched it with a finger it would crumble and fall apart. Seeing this has to change a man, has to make a man appreciate the creation of God and the love of God.
- James Irwin -

The Blue Marble via Wikimedia

from my son's wedding album

The Little Church

If you want your dream to be
Build it slow and surely.
Small beginnings, greater ends.
Heartfelt work grows purely.

If you want to live life free,
Take your time, go slowly.
Do few things, but do them well.
Simple joys are holy.

Isui-en Garden

About Me

I am a Japanese, non-native speaker of English, who likes to think about things and express them in English. I named my handle name "Stardust." I'm consisted of particles, like a stardust, drifting in space, hoping to shine with her spirit burning bright someday. Still, such particles feel and think on this planet -- what a mystery, what a wonder, what a blessing!
My icon lotus flower symbolizes "spiritual growth from the muddy darkness to the light of the sun".